Toy top.



Patented Apr. 22, I902. J. A. IRVING.

TOY TOP. (Application filed m is, 1901.)

(No Model.)

c, to

T D STATES.

JAMES A IRVING, on PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA a i ToY TOP,

r sPEcmIoATIoN forming art of Letters PatentNo, 698,286, dated April 22', 1902, j

Application filed .May 13 1901.

ingis a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to toy tops of the class comprlsing an outer casing, in which is mounted a balance wheel piovided with a spindle'projecting exterior-to said casing and I arranged to be rotated independentlyxof the i ,zo

,bodying myinventionandshowingone oper-' ation of which it' is capable', Fig 2I'is a ver-' tical sectionalvie'w of theftop shown in Fig.1.

casing by means ,of a driving-cord looped upon the projecting extremity of said spindle.

My invention comprehends the various p novel features of arrangement and; construction hereinafter moredefinitely specified and claimed. i V p i a In the accompanying'drawings, Figurelis a side elevation of atop convenientlyemf Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional viewof a top,-

"showing a modified-form ef'my invention;

Figt i is a planvview ofAbe-corrugated extremity of the wheel-spindle which jooope're ates with'the driving-cord." Fig. 5 is a plan view of the bearing-plateshown in section'in Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring to said figures, A is the outer" casing, conveniently'formed of wood in two sections, which are permanentlysecured together at a."

A is a recess'in the The upper sectionis pro-' overlies the knob A at the top of said secthe bearing 7) of the plate B.- Said wheel E is provided with the hub E", opposed to the bearing-shoulder a in the top of the casing A, which servesto limit the extent of projection of the spindleD, the bearing-washers 6 being interposed betweensaidhub and said shoulder. Thefree extremity of said spindle I), projecting through the casing A, is pro- .vided with corrugations cl, which serve to lower casing-section, in'which is fitted theplate 15, providedwith" the step-bearing b.

vided with the bushing 0, whose flange a Serial. 110-59395. (Nomodeld frictionally engage thedriving-cord F; b 1

which the'spindle D and wheel E may berotatedwithin the casing independently thereof.. It is to be noted that tlie'independent relation of the casing A and thespindle and "wheel contained therein permits'the casing to be handledfwithout interference with the spinning operation, the casing re1nainingsta tionary until it is freed from the hand of the operator.

The spinning operation is conveniently effected while the casin g is grasped in one hand of the operator by plaoingabight on loop of said spindle, as indicated in Fig. 2, andidrawing said cord to its-endinengagement there? with, a slight tension being aifordedforthe free end of the";cord 1 by permittingitto pass the cordaround the corrugated extremity of between the fingersof the hand containing' the top. The spindle and wheel havin'g'been when set U pen the peg a? at'the bottom there- Y ofor upon'the'oppositeextrernity of the spinspun-by the application of the driving-cord; as'aforesaid, 'the top willcontinue to spin dle"D, or, as indicated inFig'. 1-, the knob A? i may be rested inthedepress'ion att-he top of i the standard G, in which jpositionthe entire top will have a planetary motion aroundvsaid It isto be noted that the flange 0 upon the bushingC serves to protect the wooden cas- I ing A from Wear due to the friction of I driving-cord. k

ed upon the resilient cushion B, which i's-so proportioned that the parts are maintained in proper adjustment without ratt1i-ng. Said cushion B is so arranged as'to yield slightly,

' In the form of myinvention shown in Fig.

and thus prevent damage to the top, when it. is accidentally dropped upon its peg 0, j r p ,t I

with'and the bearing-plate B is adjustably supported upon the set-screw 13?,which is entered in threaded engagement with the lower section of the casing and serves both todek termine the proper relation of the spindle in itsbearings and also as a support upon which the top may be spun.

the set-screw B not only serves to accurately It is to be noted that 86 v standard G, owing to the m otionimpart'ed to I thecasingAfrorn the rotating Wheel within it.

adjust the parts for free rotation when first assembled, but may also be subsequently reset and adjusted to compensate for wear of the spindle in its bearings.

I do not desire to limit myself to the pre cise details of construction and arrangement of the parts herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the features of my invention.

I claim 1. In a toy top, the combination with an outer casing; of a balance-wheel arranged to rotate within said casing independently thereof; a spindle fixed in said wheel and extending exterior to said casing; a recess in the interior bottom wall of said casing; and an adjustable bearing-plate fitted in said recess and provided with astep-bearing for said spindle, substantially as set forth.

2. In a toy top, the combination with the outer casing; of a balance-wheel arranged to rotate within said casingindependently thereof; a spindle fixed in said wheel and extending exterior to said casing; a recess in the interior bottom wall of said casing; a bearingplate fitted in said recess in engagement with the inner extremity of said spindle; and a setscrew entered through said casing, within said recess, in adjustable relation with said bearing-plate, substantially as set forth.

3. In a toy top, the combination with the outer casing A; of the balance-wheel E, arranged to rotate within said casing independently thereof; the spindle D, fixed in said wheel and extending exterior to said casing; the corrngationscl, upon the extremity of said spindle exterior to said casing and arranged to cooperate with a driving-cord looped thereon g the recess A, in the bottom of said casing; the plate B, fitted in said recess and provided with the step-bearing b, for said spindle D; the bearingbushing C, surrounding said spindle at the top of said casing; and the flange 0, upon said bushing exterior to said casing, substantially as set forth.

4. In a toy top, the combination with an outer casing; of a balance-wheel arranged to rotate within said casin g in dependently thereof; a spindle fixed in said wheel and extending exterior to said casing, in rotatable relation with the latter; corrugations upon the extremity of said spindle, exterior to said casing, arranged to cooperate with a drivingcord looped thereon; a bearing-bushing surrotate within said casing independently thereof; a spindle fixed in said wheel and extending exterior to said casing in rotatable relation with the latter; and, a series of corrugations upon said spindle exterior to said casing, terminating short of the end of said spindle and arranged to engage a driving-cord looped upon the latter, substantially as set forth.

6. In a toy top, the combination with an outer casing; of a balance-wheel arranged to rot-ate within said casing independently thereof; a spindle fixed in said wheel and extending exterior to said casing in rotatable relation with the latter; a series of corrugations upon the free extremity of said spin'dle exterior to said casing and arranged to engage a driving-cord looped thereon; and, a bearingplate in the bottom of said casing in engagement with the inner extremity of said spindle, substantially as set forth.

' 7. In a toy top, the combination with an outer casing; of a balance-wheel arranged to rotate within said casing independently thereof; a spindle fixed in said wheel and extending exterior to said casing, in rotatable rela tion with the latter; and a series of corrugations upon the free extremity of said spindle exterior to said casing, arranged to engage a driving-cord looped thereon, substantially as set forth. S. In a toy top, the combination with the outer casing; of a balance-wheel arranged to rotate within said casing; a spindle fixed in said wheel and extending exterior to said casing; a bearing-bushing seated in the upper part of said casing; a bearing-platein the bottom of said casing in engagement with the inner extremity of said spindle; and a setscrew entered through said casing in adjustable relation with said bearing-plate, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 9th day of May, 1901.

JAMES A. IRVING.

W'itnesses:

ARTHUR E. PAIGE, E. L. FULLERTON. 

